


(this never happened!)

by WerewolvesAreReal



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen, He is the only one not amused by this, Natori is a troll, Natsume has a crush and it's cute, Other, poor Natsume
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-06-23
Packaged: 2018-11-17 22:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11278374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WerewolvesAreReal/pseuds/WerewolvesAreReal
Summary: Natsume gets a crush and resents it; Natori is Amused and pretends not to notice because he's a good friend. (Then, okay, he teases Natsume a little, because no one ever said he's a good *person*)





	(this never happened!)

Natsume fixes an awkward smile on his face and glances around. Nyanko-sensei is sensibly hiding under the table, well away from Taki's enthusiastic hand-gestures. And the magazine she's waving through the air.

“ - a beautiful man, don't you think?”

The group of teenage boys winces a little when Taki looks at them hopefully. “...I don't typically think of men as beautiful,” Kitamoto says delicately. “Although _Natsume_ is kind of pretty...”

“Hey!”

Everyone laughs at him.

“ _Girls_ are beautiful though,” says Nishimura dreamily. “There are a lot of great girls in our grade...” He stares at Taki for a moment, then seems to realize what he's doing and turns red.

Taki turns to Tanuma. “You know, _you_ are too quiet sometimes! Do you like anyone, Tanuma?”

“No,” says Tanuma, embarrassed.

“Well, what kind of girl would you want to date?”

“A friend,” Tanuma says automatically. He winces when Kitamoto laughs and Nishimura looks affronted. “Not – not anyone I know!” His eyes shift like this is a lie. “Um. Someone with a nice smile, someone I enjoy spending time with, I don't know...”

Natsume watches Sensei grumble and bury himself further under the table. He tries to imagine, for a moment, who he might like to date. He's never felt interested before, but he thinks about relationships a lot anyway - usually when he tries to think about the kind of person his grandmother might have loved.

“You're boring,” Kitamoto complains to Tanuma.

Sometimes he wonders if Natsume Reiko might have found someone else who could see youkai. An exorcist, maybe. It's hard to imagine the sober girl he sometimes sees in visions overcoming her aggressive stance against people to find a friend, let alone a husband - especially if they couldn't understand her.

“I don't know,” says Nishimura dreamily. He's watching Taki again. “Girls can look very nice when they smile...”

An image strikes Natsume then – a pleasant, warm smile sparkling enough to attract stares. He always feel uncomfortable when his friend Natori smiles. But no one can deny that he really is beautiful.

Natsume pauses for a moment, struck by that odd thought. And Taki says, “I'm not sure I want to listen to you guys talk about girls. Natsume-kun, _you_ don't gossip about women, do you?”

Natsume covers his face with his hands.

“...Natsume-kun?”

“...No, I don't,” he says sadly. Oh no. Oh no.

* * *

 

Sensei laughs when he's told.

“The exorcist! Ha! _That_ shady guy? You know he probably has a dozen girlfriends? And his smile creeps me out...”

“Shut up, Sensei,” Natsume mutters. He glares reproachfully while his friend rolls around on Natsume's desk, quivering with glee. “Anyway. It's not important. I barely see Natori-san anyway... All these youkai are probably just driving me a little crazy. I'll get over it.”

“Oh, I'm so glad you told me,” Nyanko-sensei cackles. Natsume folds his arms. “But, sure, the less we see of that exorcist the better. Although I wouldn't mind seeing your face the next time you meet...”

At that moment Touko-san calls up the stairs, “Takashi? Takashi-kun, I made some pies today! You should bring one to your friend Natori-san!”

(Nyanko-sensei laughs so hard he falls off the desk. And keeps laughing anyway.)

* * *

 

* * *

 

Natsume is acting strange.

It's hard to pinpoint what's different today. The boy had greeted Natori with a typical, resigned mumble outside his apartment while pretending he wasn't happy to be here. And after they dropped off the pies and departed, Natsume walked his usual six paces ahead of Natori in a vain effort to pretend they don't know each other. (Natori is starting to think Natsume doesn't like his fans, which is ridiculous. His fans are _delightful._ )

And now Natsume sits eating his yakitori in silence, eyes averted, while his cat-thing sits on the table and watches Natori with an unnatural grin. That puffy calico monstrosity never looks happy to see him, making the situation even more suspicious.

Natori keeps up a cheerful, blithe chatter while observing Natsume. He probably would have been told about a serious youkai problem – Natsume should have no reason to hide that – which leaves a few options. School issues? A fight with his friends? Or maybe his guardians...

Natsume glances up at Natori, flushes, and hastily looks away.

_Oh._

Natori stifles a grin. He knows that look, though he usually sees it among his many female admirers. Natsume doesn't notice his sudden understanding, but the cat snickers a little before snatching a piece of fish from the table and darting to the floor.

“Sensei!” Natsume reprimands. His companion's bobbing tail disappears out the cafe's door.

“It's not like he can get into much trouble here,” Natori assures.

“Sensei always finds trouble,” Natsume mutters.

He flicks his gaze to Natori, then looks away again.

Natori probably shouldn't...

“So, Natsume,” he says brightly. “Do you like anyone at your school?”

Natsume coughs through a mouthful of rice. Outside Natori swears he can hear the cat cackling.

“No! No.”

“No girl?” he feigns disappointment. “Maybe a boy...?”

Natsume turns pink. He mumbles something.

Natori leans an elbow on the table. “Well, if there's no one at school, maybe someone else... Do you like any actors?” He smiles widely.

Natsume gets it. He buries his head in his hands. “Natori-san!” he yelps.

Natori laughs. “It's alright, Natsume! No one can resist my beauty for long.”

“I hate you,” Natsume mumbles through his fingers.

“No, you don't.”

Natsume throws a mushroom at him. “I don't know _why I talk to you_.”

Natori winks and watches with delight as Natsume reddens again. “I'm very glad you put up with me,” he says honestly. He reaches out to ruffle Natsume's hair fondly. “Come on, we can go to the park and watch my fans get jealous.”

_“Natori-san!”_

 


End file.
